Matteo Berrettini, who beat Novak Djokovic in spherical one, will attempt to hold his Doha run going on the expense of Jack Draper on Thursday. One other quarterfinal contest pits Carlos Alcaraz in opposition to Jiri Lehecka.
(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jiri LeheckaAlcaraz and Lehecka will likely be going head-to-head for the second time of their careers once they battle for a spot within the semifinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Thursday. Their solely earlier assembly got here on the grass courts of Queen’s Membership in 2023, when Alcaraz cruised 6-2, 6-3. Lechecka has grow to be more and more harmful in latest seasons. At 23 years outdated, the Czech is as much as twenty fifth within the rankings due to an superior begin to his 2025 marketing campaign. Lehecka is sporting a 12-2 report with a title in Brisbane, a fourth-round efficiency on the Australian Open, and straight-set victories in Doha over Grigor Dimitrov and Fabian Marozsan.
Alcaraz suffered a disappointing quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park, however he has in any other case been in sturdy type. The third-ranked Spaniard bounced again with a title in Rotterdam and he’s 11-1 for the yr following Doha victories over Marin Cilic (6-4, 6-4) and Luca Nardi (6-1, 4-6, 6-3). Alcaraz endured a short hiccup in opposition to Nardi, however the Italian performed very properly and for probably the most half it was a high-quality contest. Lehecka will seemingly be far more aggressive than he was at Queen’s Membership, however Alcaraz is wanting good and may advance.
Choose: Alcaraz in 3
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Matteo Berrettini vs. (8) Jack DraperBerrettini hopes to maintain constructing on one of many greatest wins of his profession. Beforehand 0-4 in opposition to Novak Djokovic, the 28-year-old Italian upset Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-2 within the Doha first spherical. Berrettini had not defeated anybody ranked higher than No. 52 since Vienna this previous October, however all of the sudden he owns two such victories in a row. The world No. 35 adopted it up with a 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 6-4 defeat of Tallon Griekspoor on Wednesday night time.
Up subsequent for Berrettini is a second showdown in opposition to Draper, who gained their solely earlier matchup 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 within the 2024 Stuttgart ultimate. Draper has been stellar thus far in 2025, with a fourth-round look on the Aussie Open and wins this week over Alexei Popyrin and Christopher O’Connell. The truth is, O’Connell solely bought a complete of three video games within the second spherical. This may very well be one the most effective matches of the complete week, with a slight edge going to the Sixteenth-ranked Brit–whose lefty serve ought to be capable to as soon as once more get the most effective of Berrettini’s backhand.
Choose: Draper in 3
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